After starting from Canterbury, “In cammino“ chose as its second stop the Abbey of Chiaravalle on the outskirts of Milan, a symbolic place not only of devotion and the propagation of Cistercian spirituality throughout the peninsula, but also a center of industriousness and of innovative and bio-sustainable techniques applied to agriculture and livestock farming, yesterday and today. Just think of the land reclamation carried out over time by the monks and the vital system of water meadows for the cultivation of rice and other excellences. It is no coincidence that the “caseus vetus” was born in Chiaravalle around the year 1000, i.e. Grana Padano, obtained from surplus milk production, which was thus both preserved and conserved for a long time with the maturing of this cheese known in Worldwide.

And here in Chiaravalle, on 15 September in the morning, in the splendid and evocative setting of the Mulino dell’Abbazia, “Sustainability and food: Positive Food, a new labeling proposal” was discussed.
The theme of the conference was focused on the transparency and traceability of the food products we bring to the table every day. It was discussed together with Livia Pomodoro – holder of the UNESCO Chair “Food Systems for Sustainable Development and Social Inclusion” – who chaired the conference, Pier Filippo Giuggioli, professor at the State University of Milan; Giovanni Barbara, professor at the LUM “Giuseppe De Gennaro” University of Bari, who spoke about “Green training. ESG: Sustainability Manager Master”; and Riccardo Garosci, President of AICE (Italian Foreign Trade Association). Also speaking were: Claudio Serafini, Director of Organic Cities Network Europe; Patrizio Bianchi, former Minister of Education, holder of the UNESCO Chair “Education, Growth and Equality”; Paolo De Castro, former Minister of Agricultural Policies, European Parliamentarian. Professor Antonio Bettanini moderated the meeting.

In the late afternoon, it was the moment of the debate dedicated to “Spirituality today”: a topical topic discussed by the Very Rev. Father Stefano Zanolini, Abbot of Chiaravalle, and the sociologist Mario Abis.

In the evening, it was the turn of the art critic Nicolas Ballario to talk about “Spirituality in contemporary art”, illustrating six examples taken from the life and works of as many authors: Anselm Kiefer, Joseph Beuys, Alberto Burri, Maurizio Cattelan, Yayoi Kusama, Mark Rothko. A selection of works that ranged from Beuys’ performances to Burri’s Cretto di Gibellina, from Kiefer’s installations to Rothko’s monochromatic paintings. An interesting and engaging panoramic sequence interspersed with selected pieces by the Archimia Quartet, which expertly and pleasantly accompanied the examination and works presented by Ballario.

“On the way” is among the events selected by H.E.R. Mons. Rino Fisichella for the Jubilee 2025, whose motto is Pilgrims of Hope, and is also realized thanks to the support of the Grana Padano Foundation recently established by part of the Consortium for the Protection of DOP cheese, and Ente del Terzo Settore, chaired by Giuseppe Saetta and of which Father Stefano Zanolini, Abbot of Chiaravalle, is the Vice President.

L’associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene and Organic Cities, accompanies us on our journey